the roses that burn in purgatory
by Caelitea
Summary: She tests his affection and he cages her in his desire. He commits loveless murders out of love; she pulls the marionette strings that aren't there and orchestrates this corrupted symphony. The rose petals burn; they fall. —Rin/Len, dark themes, suggestive themes.


**Author Note:** This was a pretty big experiment; tried for some sexual themes and a bit of psychological horror. I'm terrible at writing anything past fluff though and I'm a complete amateur when it comes to psychological thrill, so don't expect too much. :'D I tried, though! Rin might've come out a little watery too, not sure what happened...but anyway, this _is_ a pretty (or very) dark fic, so beware, I suppose.

**Inspiration: **The whole thing stemmed from _Virgin Suicides_ by Kagamine Len (can you already tell this is going to be dark and not so happy?). But I guess there's a bit of _Spice!_ And _Servant of Evil_ themes/allusions thrown in there too.

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**[the roses that burn in purgatory]**

It starts with the bruises on her face.

"What happened?" eighteen-year old Len Kagamine had asked, blue eyes round with shock. Rin Kagamine glanced at him, one side of her mouth dropping in sort of a combined grimace and frown.

"Lily's a bitch," She replied simply, dropping her car keys onto the counter. She plopped herself down on the couch while Len got her some ice. She took the little pouch gratefully and sighed, laying down and draping her legs over the armrest, her skirt sliding down her thighs slightly. He tried not to stare. "I placed first. She didn't. Yelled at me, so I talked back. Things went downhill from there."

She didn't elaborate any further, so he didn't ask.

It starts with the bruises on her face, and it doesn't end there.

/

Three weeks later, he comes home in the late afternoon after attending a review session at school. He smells a faint hint of rubbing alcohol, and finds Rin sleeping at the kitchen table, resting her head on her arms.

Len smiles, brushing a stray hair away from her cheek and tucking it behind her ear.

He freezes. There is a band-aid, the center dark with blood, stuck to her cheek. Rin shifts, and Len sees that there are even more wrapped around her delicate little fingers.

There is the sensation of cold anger that starts from his toes and makes its way up to his chest. He knows the reason for the rubbing alcohol now.

He watches Rin sleep for a few more moments, and then goes to make dinner.

When Rin wakes up later, she holds up her fingers with a dorky kind of smile and asks him to teach her how to cook. She says she gets baking well enough but her home economics teacher has been getting frustrated with the amount of accidents she's been having with the knife—and also oil, spattering onto her face.

Len agrees to coach her, but he doesn't believe her.

/

He's never known Rin to lie. They go to different schools so he doesn't really know much about her current life, but they've been incredibly close since they were born and they've been mistaken as brother and sister countless times because of their looks and their names. Both their parents were fairly wealthy and loved their children very much, so when the two said they wanted to go to schools a bit further away their parents didn't hesitate to agree that they could rent an apartment together. Maybe they simply trusted their kids that much or they actually hoped for the two to get together, but Rin and Len didn't think about that too much.

But regardless. Len was a junior at Crypton High—pretty much the most prestigious high school in the area. Its courses were known for being extremely rigorous, but Len found that to be suitable amusement to occupy his time. Rin decided to go to Vocaloid High instead. It wasn't as high esteemed as Crypton, but it was still fairly tough to be a student there. She could have easily gotten into Crypton, but she said she wanted a more carefree life and didn't want to be stuck around snobby rich kids all the time—not to mention she liked the uniforms at Vocaloid better. Len had pouted and she had laughed, but that was that.

Despite that, the two didn't drift apart at all. They had grown even closer, if that was possible, because they had different lives to compare, relate, and share.

Everything had been sunshine and daisies.

Until now.

Len had never known Rin to lie—not to him, at least. So he decided to take matters into his own hands.

/

Background checks weren't hard to do; neither was hacking into classified files. For Len, at least.

Knowing that Rin had probably gotten herself in some deep shit and he wasn't there to protect her was hard to deal with though.

Lily was one crazy sonofabitch. She was the leader of some notorious gang in the darker side of town, and it wasn't that she dealt in sketchy drug trade or something that they were notorious, it was the violence. Anyone who crossed them could be potential corpses floating in the infamous Skeleton River—and the local police were powerless because Lily's parents were powerful. She hadn't been able to get into Crypton, and at Vocaloid she apparently decided to make as much trouble as she could to piss off her parents. Although the gang itself was famous, the fact that she was their leader was a well-kept secret. The police certainly knew, but her identity was never made public due to her parents' influence. Perhaps a handful of people were aware, but Lily wanted to wait and bring down her parents' reputation in one fell swoop.

If Rin pissed off Lily, no matter how small the reason, she wasn't in for anything good.

"I'm not sure why you're researching Lily, Len," his Japanese History teacher Gakupo Kamui had said after seeing him researching in the library one day, "But do _not get close to her_. I mean it."

Len nodded back with serious eyes. Gakupo wasn't warning him because he didn't want a bright student falling into the wrong crowd, but because Lily would most likely knife him in the back one she got tired of him, both figuratively and literally.

So when one day, Rin wasn't home at her usual time and was still missing two hours later, he ran.

—Straight into the heart of Lily's gang.

Who said pretty boys couldn't be just as violent?

/

He finds her with her mouth gagged, wrists bound behind her back, and her ankles tied together. There are three gashes on her cheek bleeding freely, but it is not the wounds that break his heart but the expression in her eyes.

Rin is _terrified_.

He unties her and rips off the tape across her mouth. She lets out a muffled protest in pain, but once she's free she wraps her arms around him and cries. He's got blood on him but she doesn't even notice because it's Len and Len is here.

"Shhhhh," Len soothes, "Shhhh. It's okay now, I'm here, don't worry."

"_God_," Rin sobs, "How the hell did this happen?"

She hadn't known—no one else would have known. All she did was talk back when she was sneered at. Rin wasn't weak, but she had been caught unsuspecting and unguarded, and Lily was a more than just a simple bully.

He pulls her out of school for a week so she can recover. Rin spends a lot of time on the couch with some sort of calming drink, contemplating the events. Len already told her the reason as to why he was there; he got suspicious, ran a background check, and pieced the situation together. When inquired as to how he managed to get away and find her, he simply said that he beat up a few guys and they probably got scared and bolted. Not everyone in Lily's gang was a hardcore troublemaker.

It's not until the second day that Rin stares at him over the steam from her hot chocolate and asks, "…What happened to Lily?"

Len glances at her from the stove, where he is making pancakes. "I don't know." He says.

The lie tastes bitter on his tongue.

Rin knows that Lily sure as hell wouldn't bolt, no matter how scary Len might have looked. But he doesn't elaborate so she doesn't ask.

The hot chocolate is sweet as it slides down her throat.

/

Rin goes back to school.

Lily has been missing.

No one suspects her, because they know what happened. She hasn't been the first victim of Lily's violence—although comparatively, she's lucky because Lily's game was still in its early stages before she up and disappeared.

Two weeks later, they find her corpse in the river, cut open with her insides rearranged.

Len doesn't look any different.

Rin doesn't question.

/

_(He hadn't meant to do it not at all but she came at him like a bat from hell with a knife in her hand and he just_

_reacted_

_The rest of the gang bolted because oh god there was so much blood he knew that he had hit something major_

_She was cursing him out with blood bubbling from her lips and her eyes were burned into his memory she was cursing him for eternity_

_His hands both his hands all red coated in red—_

_Rin. Where was Rin? He had come here for Rin._

_He forced the information of out Lily, and now that her energy was draining and death was imminent she was a lot more complacent. There was fear in her eyes, begging him, pleading him to save her. She died mid-plea. _

_He had thrown up, sickened with what he had just done. He'd just murdered another human being. He'd killed her. Oh god, he'd really done it. _

_But she had very nearly killed Rin. _

_He covers up all his tracks._

_But Len is more sickened when he realized that he is pleased that he has permanently taken out such a threat in Rin's life._

_He tries to let the guilt roll off of him like water off of leaves.)_

_/_

Four months pass.

Rin comes home one day, and she looks like she is near crying. Len gets up from the couch, letting his magazine fall to the floor.

"What's wrong?" He asks, but Rin shakes her head, her lips pressed together firmly.

"Tell me," He persists, and Rin sighs in defeat.

"I think Neru hates me," is all she says before she retreats into her room, closing the door behind her with a soft click.

/

Len finds Neru's blog. He scrolls through pages and pages of her rants on a certain girl. There are paragraphs of insults and untrue stories—scores of simple bashing.

She created the blog months ago, even before Lily's…incident. She laughed and supported the other girl's violent antics, encouraging even more drastic behavior.

Len closes out of the screen and rubs his eyes.

He knocks on Rin's door to bring her a cup of hot chocolate and an orange—two of her favorite things. She smiles through wet eyes, glad that she has Len to cheer her up. He helps with her a complicated math problem on her homework and leaves for his own room so she can sleep.

The door closes with a click.

/

Neru transfers suddenly.

Supposedly, anyway.

/

They find her body two weeks later, deep within the trash dumps with her head smashed into the screen of an old TV. Her signature cell phone is still in her hand, an unfinished post still saved.

_I'd kill that fucking bitch myself—_

Too late now, the police thinks. Perhaps the would-be victim had Neru been alive was lucky.

/

A month later, Rin comes home in an irritated huff.

"Akaito is getting on my nerves," She seethes.

Len grins, and they talk about this annoying redhead that keeps bothering her. He seems friendly enough, even though Rin thinks he's annoying. At least she has a friend?

He waits.

/

He's out grocery shopping and is on his way home when Rin literally crashes into him. She's gripping her shirt closed, and her bag is half-open, her books nearly falling out.

Len pulls her closer and drapes his jacket over her shoulders, shielding her from view as he brings her home.

"Who? Did they…?" He demands, sitting her on the couch.

Rin shakes her head. "A-Akaito. He tried, but I kicked him and I ran."

"Good girl," Len says approvingly as he pats her head gently, and his friend smiles weakly.

He leaves her alone for a while and goes to Vocaloid High, where Akaito is just leaving. Len punches the other guy in the mouth without warning, knocking him back.

When Rin goes to school the next day, Akaito has bruises and he won't even look at her.

/

Two days later, Akaito's apartment burns down.

His corpse is charred and nearly unidentifiable.

/

Months pass.

"Seriously, I think Piko is stalking me. He's literally everywhere I go, even when his class is in the opposite direction!"

"Teto keeps stealing my things. I swear she took the necklace you gave me…"

"Leon keeps hitting on Miku and she's seriously getting annoyed! He won't leave her alone—or me, since I'm her best friend!"

"Miki is stealing Gumi away…or maybe she thinks I'm just not a good friend…"

/

Piko disappears. There is a lot of worry and tears. The majority of his classmates say that he was a little weird, but overall a likable and quiet kid who took care of the garden behind the school. His body shows up on his parents' doorstep and it looks like someone dissected him, drained his blood, and turned him into a flowerbed. There are daisies growing out of his dirt-filled insides.

Teto's body has strangulation marks around her neck, probably made by the silver necklace she wears. There are no fingerprints or anything—but the pattern of the chain matches. The necklace she allegedly stole is nowhere to be seen.

Leon's corpse is missing his fingers and there is a hole where his heart is. He is found in the love hotel downtown, his body discovered only when a couple walked in and found and bed already occupied.

Miki's body is cut up into multiple parts. It sends the police team on a scavenger hunt around town, and it takes a while to recover all of her. When they find her head, it is buried with tons of pictures of herself, with the faces either X-ed out with a marker or shredded with some sort of sharp object.

The police don't have a single lead.

/

**[fire licks at the petals and as they burn and wither we are left with the nauseating perfume of roses]**

/

He doesn't remember whose blood he has on his hands.

The one before this was…Teto? Or Miki? Or was it Lily? No, Lily was the first one. He'd never forget that.

He can't remember who he just killed. Oh, right. Gumi, for ditching Rin? He thinks it was Gumi, he thinks it was a girl with emerald hair and bright eyes and a cute smile.

She won't be smiling with bright eyes any more.

Len makes his way home under the cover of the night. He still has blood on his hands and his body is burning. When was the last time he slept properly? He can't remember that either. But it's okay as long as Rin is home in bed, safe and sound, dreaming about sweet things and happy memories.

He opens the door quietly, slipping inside and leaning against the door once he closes it. He sighs, exhausted. Len is not sure why he is so tired all of a sudden.

"Len?"

He looks up sharply, fear spreading throughout his body because he's still dressed creepily and his hands are still coated in blood and—

His breath hitches in his throat; excuses that he'd planned disintegrate on his tongue as he stares.

Rin is in a _babydoll_. Or a negligee, he doesn't know. Len has never seen Rin so exposed. Sure, he's had his fair share of girlfriends but—god, they'd never been able to make him feel like way even if they were completely naked. Len swallows, his mouth suddenly dry. Rin had never had a big chest, but the bralette of her nightwear was definitely helping. The thing was white and lacy, the sheer fabric parting down the middle to give a clear view of her smooth stomach and her matching white-lace panties.

"…Len?" Rin questions again, coming closer, touching his face concernedly.

He can't remember how to breathe.

"R-Rin," he manages to choke out. "W-Why are you up?"

_When did she even own this kind of…lingerie? Was this what she always wore to sleep? God, was she taunting him? Or was she completely oblivious because this was natural for her to wear?_

"I couldn't sleep," She frowns, pulling him towards the sink. "I went to check up on you but you weren't there, so I decided to wait until you came back."

She runs the faucet and puts his hands under, the water running red. Len stares at it dazedly. Whose blood is on his hands, again? Miki? Leon? Akaito?

He can't function right now; his brain is on complete and utter shutdown.

Rin frown deepens at his lack of response, but takes notice of his clothes and pulls him to his room. She makes him sit on the bed while she digs through his closet, tossing him some pyjamas. He takes them numbly, holding them like he's never seen them before.

She takes a seat next to him on the bed, leaning close. "Len? Seriously, are you okay? You come home with blood all over you and you have a weird look on your face. Len? Hello?"

Not good not good not good. Rin is way, way too close in her…_sleeping clothes_ and it is simply getting way too hot in his room. His body burns and he just wants to strip down and take a cold shower but—

She puts a hand to his forehead and her eyes widen. "Len, you have a really high fever! Jeez, you really need to learn to take better care of yourself!"

He can't take it anymore.

He pushes her down, hands gripping her wrists.

"Rin," He says seriously, his hair falling into his eyes. Her face is momentarily surprised before it slides into a sort of amused nonchalance.

"Len," She counters, with a smirk on her face.

"Your plan's working," he says, leaning down so that his face is merely inches from hers.

"I know," she replies, tilting her chin up defiantly. "About time you noticed. You're not very bright, Len, despite being valedictorian at Crypton."

He chuckles, "I don't know everything like you do, Rin," and leans down to kiss her.

The kisses travel; he lets go of her wrists and her hands don't lie on the bed, either. Her nails dig into his back.

It starts with a kiss and it doesn't stop there.

/

**[the corrupted petals fall one by one]**

/

"Rin," Len says tiredly, "The murders in the paper recently are because of me."

He doesn't know what possesses him to say it, but Rin only kisses him on the nose and smiles.

"I know," she says.

"No, you don't understand, I'm the one who's been—"

It's Rin who pushes him down this time. She lies on top of him like a mischievous cat, bare breasts against his chest.

"Protecting me by killing them. I know. You think I didn't notice the first time?"

Len tenses. He had never meant for her to find out. He knows it was a long shot but Rin had never said a word and he deluded himself into thinking she was ignorant.

"I'm the one who made you do it, Len." She cups his face with her hands, her voice soft, loving. "And I think you know that too."

She's right. She'd dropped the names casually before, but after a while it became quite obvious as to what she was hoping for. And Len, although some part of him was probably aware, acted on her words for two reasons—because he loved her, and because he loved getting rid of others for her.

She tested his love; he tested her trust. She manipulated his love; he led her into his cage of desire.

He rises halfway to kiss her, her fingers twining through his hair.

"We're both guilty of the same sin," he finally says with a haughty sort of grin, and Rin chuckles.

They kiss again and this time, he lets her press him into the mattress.

/

The sun is bright the next morning. He and Rin watch the sun rise from their window, her head on his shoulder, his arm draped around her waist.

"Len," Rin says, voice still somewhat sleepy, "We can't stay here."

He kisses her forehead and places his against hers. "I know. Let's go to Eden."

"Together?"

"Together."

/

The Kagamines go missing.

Winter comes and they do not reappear.

/

Their bodies are found in the middle of a lake, months later, when the ice has melted. The corpses have their hands tied together in an impossibly tight not—so tight that had they been alive, it would have stopped circulation. The fabric is red with two loops, resembling a heart.

Their corpses are unblemished and serene, like a set of porcelain dolls.

And they are beautiful.

/

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**[epilogue]**

There are a lot of tears shed at their funeral.

Hoards of people line up to place their roses inside the coffin—the coffin that has both their bodies, because that seemed to be what they wanted.

The sky is clear blue with sunshine and their corpses are still beautiful.

And they lie happily in the Garden of Eden.

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_**[the roses that burn in purgatory]**_

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**Ending Notes: **Yay, symbolism. Here's a bit of an explanation/clarification as to what happened.

Their relationship is kind of weird. Rin was the entire mastermind behind Len's murders; she never intended for the first two murders (Lily and Neru) to happen, but after, it was becoming apparent that he was killing people who upset her—and she manipulated that to test Len's affections. Subconsciously, Len realizes this. Even when Rin directly tells him, he doesn't really mind. To him, he wasn't being used because he wanted to protect Rin, and eventually he enjoyed/became used to the murders. They both sort of the 'use' each other. Rin tests exactly how far he'll go for her, but as Len carries out each murder he binds Rin closer and closer to himself. Len's love for her borderlines obsession; I guess Rin's is a little bit sadistic.

Next, about the 'intermissions' in brackets. At first, "the roses that burn in purgatory" it just the title. It's supposed to 'evolve' throughout the story; the next intermission about the fire and the nauseating scent of roses is meant to symbolize Len and Rin's twisted minds. The roses (Len and Rin) are nice and happy at first, but then they burn and the scent of roses is overpowering and cloying; Len and Rin's minds slowly twist into something dangerous and obsessive. The falling of the corrupted petals is, well, Rin's loss of virginity I guess haha…and Len's, if you want to interpret it that way too. But also, the roses/Len and Rin are coming to an end. Their minds are…unstable, so to say, and in a moment of clarity/sanity they realize that things must be put to a stop, but they aren't really going to take the blame for what happened—they just want to be together, in their own "garden of eden".

What's ironic though is how beautiful they look in their death. Len made the bodies of his victims as weird/grosteque as possible. When loads of people go to their funeral, they cry and lay roses in their coffin and the weather is beautiful and everything. They are well loved—but they were the cause of all the murders, who only had a few people go to their funeral and were later forgotten.

The second time "the roses that burn in purgatory" is mentioned, it's sort of a double meaning? As in, they could have stopped; Len was protecting himself out of self-defense and it would have been okay. Maybe he would have been guilty, but in "purgatory", he could have righted his wrongs. Same with Rin. But the roses are burning.

They're in Hell, now.


End file.
